Alarm mechanism



L. C. GOBETZ.

ALARM MECHANISM FOR RADIATOR TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1921.

1 ,395,27 1 I Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

x f/////// /////////////I////////// [arm 775 6. 605572 UNITED STATES PATENT QEFFEQE.

ALARM MECHANISM FOR RADIATOR-TAN KS.

Application filed March 16, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAFAYETTE C. Gonnrz, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm Mechanisms for Radiator-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to signals or alarms "for application to the radiator-tanks of automobiles and motor vehicles generally, and it resides in the novel features, structure and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The alarm mechanism of my invention is applied to the filler-cap of the radiator and supported by said cap, and said mechanism comprises, in the preferred construction, a vertical whistle-stem closed at its upper end and at its lower portion being screwed into the radiator-cap, a dome or hood applied upon the open lower end of said stem for directing steam thereto and having a transverse baffle or splash plate, and a manually operative valve-sleeve applied upon the whistle-stem above the radiator-cap and adapted for use in opening or closingv the opening provided in said stem as the outlet for steam and atwhich, by the steam pressure, the whistle is caused to sound, together with other features for securing the mechanism to the radiatoi cap. The whistle-stem extends below the top of the radiator-cap and receives the aforesaid dome. or hood and said stem extends to a comparatively con siderable extent above the radiator cap and preferably has mounted thereon a suitable ornamental holder or handle by which the mechanism may be conveniently handled and which may vary in design for different makes of automobiles.

The purpose of my invention is to provide efficient mechanism of the whistletype which will be blown by steam pressure when abnormal conditions arise in the liquid circulation system for cooling the cylinders of the engine or motor, these conditions resulting. in the liquid becoming overheated and creating a steam pressure which will effect the blowing of the whistle. The abnormal conditions referred to arise from various causes, one being from a lack of suflicient water in the system, another when the liquid is at the freezing point and becomes coagued and athird from lack of oil in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Serial No. 452,700.

motor, all causing unnecessary strain and hence resulting in the overheating of the liquid and'the creation of a steam pressure WlllCll will cause the whistle to sound an alarm or signal.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation 0f a portion of a radiator for an automobile equipped with the alarm mechanism of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same, taken on the dotted line 22 of Fig. 1;

F 1g. 3 is a horizontal section through the same, taken on the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom of a steam-centering dome or hood and its splash or baffle plate constituting a lower feature of the alarm mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is a top view of a manually operable control or valve sleeve applied to the whistle stem and employed for opening or closing the sound-opening in said stem.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the top po tion of a radiator tank, 11 an internally threaded nozzle thereon and 12 the radiator filler-cap, these features, except for the presence of my invention applied to the cap, being of any usual or suitable construction.

The alarm mechanism of my invention comprises a vertical whistle stem 13 having 7 at one side thereof a whistle or sound opening 14- for the outlet of steam and containing a reed 15 of usual construction for whistles, the upper end of the stem 13 being closed and the lower barrel portion 16 of said stem being externally threaded and screwed into a threaded opening 17 in the cap 12. Upon the barrel portion 16 directly at the top of the cap 12 is applied a threaded collar which is screwed upon said barrel portion 16 and serves several purposes, one being as a nut to aid in fastening the whistle stem 13 in place, another a shoulder or reinforcement for said stem and another as a. rest for a rotary sleeve 19 which may be employed as a valve for opening or closing the whistle opening 14, as hereinafter explained. The collar 18 may be circular or made polygonal to receive a wrench, as may ameter of the bore of the whistle stem.

and a nut 22 screwed up against said spring lock washer 21, and below the nut 22 I apply upon the said barrel portion of the whistle stem a dome or hood 23 having in its upper end a threaded opening to screw upon the barrel portion 16 and up against the nut 22, said dome having downwardly diverging side walls and preferably containing a splash or batlie plate 24; which extends transversely across the interior of the dome and centrally below the barrel 16, the width of said plate 24: being about equal to the di- The lower end of the dome 23 is open, except at the battle plate 2 1, and said doin'e at its lower edge is preferably located suitably above the lower edge of the cap 12 so that when said cap is removed and placed on a table or the ground or other support, the dome 23 is not liable to be knocked against such support. The dome 23 is wholly within the cap 12, which is the correct location for its efiicient use in centering the rising steam and directing the same into the lower end of the whistle.

The sleeve 19 is solid throughout a portion of its extent, as at 25, this solid portion comprising somewhat more than one-half of the sleeve and being at one side of the stem 13 and extending partly around the same, while at its opposite side said sleeve is formed integrally with an upper narrow strip or section 26 extending toward the right,looking at Fig. 1, and a lower narrow strip or section 27 extending toward the left, looking at Fig. 1. The strips 26, 27 normally engage the front of the whistle-stem 13 directly above and below the opening 14: therein, as may be understood on reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The free ends of the strips 26, 27 are formed with inwardly projecting studs 28 adapted to snap into indentations 29 (Fig. 3) formed in the stem 13 so as to become interlocked with said stem, thereby positioning said sleeve and whereby rattling of the sleeve 19 against the stem 13 is prevented. The strips or sections 26, 27 act as spring members to bind against the stem 13 and said strips or sections become additionally secured by the interenga-gem nt of the studs 28 with the recesses 29. The sleeve 19 is intended for manual operation and may be provided with laterally extending finger pieces 30 which should be of ornamental outline so as to add to the appearance of the mechanism. When the sleeve 19 is in the position in which it is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, its open side, between the upper and lower strips or sections 26, 27, exposes the whistle opening 14, and this will be the usual position for said sleeve. If the whistle should sound due to the issuance of steam from the opening 1 1, the driver will know that an abnormal condition in the liquid circulation system for the cylinders of the engine exists and should be corrected, but if he should not at the time be in a situation to remedy the condition and should not wish to hear the whistle continue its sound, he may reverse the position of the sleeve 19 on the stem 13 so that the closed side of said sleeve will cover over the opening 14 and thus render the whistle inoperative. The whistle. would at that time have perto rmed its duty of warning the driver and be upon arriving at a place where it might be possible for him to do so, should correct the abnormal condition indicated to him by the sounding of' the whistle.

Upon the stem 13 I may mount an ornamental cap or holder 31 and secure thereto a plate 32 which may be a name plate or bear an ornamental design or other insignia, as may be preferred. The cap or holder 31 may be used as a handle for the whistle stem 13 in applying said stem to or removing it from the cap 12 and, as is obvious, said holder 31 may be formed integrally with the stem 13 or applied thereto, as may be preferred. The holder 3.1 may also vary greatly in design and different styles of: holders 31 may be adopted for different makes of automobiles and be employed as distinguishing devices for the same.

The battle or splash plate 24 prevents water from entering the whistle and it may be secured at such elevations within the dome 23 as may be desired, in accordance with the predetermined amount of pressure fixed upon for causing the whistle to sound or blow. If the plate 21- is secured higher up in the dome 23 than shown in the drawings, the sound emitted at the whistle will be correspondingly less in volume.

The dome 23 is of considerable importance in that by its action in collecting the steam, it aiiords a steam-chamber and the steam is sul'liciently retained in said chamber to materially heat the dome and the lower end of the whistle-stem, and this results in the steam retaining its heat and force until it reaches the whistle opening, the steam under this condition being more e'liicient in sounding the alarm than would be the case if the steam were allowed to cool or become reduced in temperature before entering the stem of the whistle.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. For use on radiator tanks of motor vehicles and in combination with the fillercap thereof, alarm mechanism operable by steam pressure within said tank comprising a whistle-stem extending through the top of said cap and secured thereto and having its sound-opening above said cap, and a manually operative sleeve-valve on said stem for exposing or closing said opening, as may be desired.

2, For use on radiator tanks of motor vehicles and in combination with the fillercap thereof, alarm mechanism operable by steam pressure within said tank comprising a whistle'stem extending through the top of said cap and secured thereto and having its sound-opening above said cap, and a manually operative sleeve-valve on said stem for exposing or closing said opening, as may be desired, said sleeve-valve being solid on one side and open at the other side and at its open side being formed integrally with upper and lower transverse strips or sections adapted to bind against said stem and having at their free ends inwardly projecting studs to engage said stem, said stem having recesses to receive said studs.

3. For use on radiator tanks of motor vehicles and in combination with the fillercap thereof, alarm mechanism operable by steam pressure within said tank comprising a whistle-stem extending through the top of said cap and secured thereto and having its sound-opening above said cap, and a hood or dome applied upon the lower open end of said stem for directing steam thereto.

4. For use on radiator tanks of motor vehicles and in combination with the fillercap thereof, alarm mechanism operable by steam pressure within said tank comprising a whistle-stem extending through the top of said cap and secured thereto and having its sound-opening above said cap, and a hood or dome applied upon the lower open end of said stem for directing steam thereto and having below the opening in said end a transverse baiile or splash-plate.

5. For use on radiator tanks of motor vehicles and in combination with the fillercap thereof, alarm mechanism operable by steam pressure within said tank comprising a whistle-stem threaded at its lower portion and screwed through a threaded opening in the top of said cap and having its soundopening above said cap, securing means on and for the lower end of said stem and engaged with said cap, a collar on said stem above and engaged with said cap, and a manually operative sleeve-valve on said stem and resting on said collar and adapted for exposing or concealing said sound-opening.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 14th day of March, A. D. 1921.

LAFAYETTE C. GOBETZ. 

